Inclined floor garage



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INCLINED FLOOR GARAGE May'2, 1933.

Filed Nov. IS, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ffy INVENTOR Kanal-12.' L. .5L-:att

ATTORNEYS `Patented May 2, 1933 HENARIE L scorr, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS INCLINED FLOOR GARAGE Application led November 3, 1930. Serial No. 492,989.

The present invention pertains to a novel building of a type particularly adapted for parking automobiles and like vehicles.

The primary object of the present inven- 6 tion is to devise a garage or automobile parker. which is particularly adapted for receiving the automobiles of employees in large factories, patrons of ball parks or ,theatres or any place where practlcaily Vall the people lwill Want their automobiles at or about the same time. In such a garage the primary consideration is that of location, for 1t is apparent that to serve efficiently and meet the demands of the public that it must be conveniently located. The presence of a factory, ball park, theatre, etc., increases the value of the property surrounding it and therefore to put a parking proposition on a paying basis it must utilize every inch of space to the fullest advantage, and a building embodying the primary invention, constructed approximately one hundred feet by one hundred and twenty-eight feet and ex- 'tending approximately one' hundred feet above the ground level will park approximately two thousand seven hundred antoniobiles, these ligures serving to illustrate the advantages of the present invention over conventional parkers.

The present invention comprises a build-- ing having inclined floors and elevators at each end-thereof having inclined platforms for receiving the automobiles. The elevators at one end of the building carries a plurality of automobiles to the proper 'loor levels and discharges them so that they run lby force of gravity through the building to the elevator at the opposite end of the building which again conveys the automobile to the ground level. Automatic mechanisms are provided for discharging the automobile from the elevator platforms to the inclined floors, from the inclined floors to the elevator platforms at the discharging end of the building, and from the latter elevators to the ground level again, it being a feature of the present invention that it is not necessary that attendants handle the automobile during the entire operation.

With the above and other ends in view,

the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference bemg had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view 0f a building constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. .2 is a fragmentary cross sectional vieuv illustrating the releasing means which permits an automobile to be discharged from the floor to the elevator platform;

Fig. 25 is a cross sectional view taken on the Ime 3*-3 of Figure 2;

F ig. tis a view corresponding to Figure 3, illustrative of a further stage of operation;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken substantially on the line 5--5 ofFigure 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrative of the mechanism which releases rthe releasing meansillustrated in Figure 3; f

Fig. 7 -is a view of the releasing `mechanism on the elevator which discharges the automobile to the ground level, taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 8; n

Fig. `8 is a cross sectionalview through the elevator platform, illustrating the releasing means contained therein;

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view, taken on the l1ne9-9 of Figure 8; 7

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of one of the elevators which receive the automobiles4 to carry them to the floorsillustrating the automatic means for releasing the automobile to permit it to roll onto the inclined floor; and

Fig. 11 illustrates the means for actuat ing the releasing means illustrated in Figure 10.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designate corresponding parts. i

The numeral l indicates a building which extends approximately an equal distance 95 above and below the ground surface, and constructed within this building in la. man# ner known to the trade, are inclined floors 2.

At each end of the floors are elevator shafts` 3 and 4, the shafts being arranged in pairs 100 thereon are released. A tunnel 7 is provided to permit'persons leaving' their automobiles ladjacent the entrance to pass tothe street without the necessity of crossing that portion of the ground surface which would interfere with incoming automobiles.`

`In the elevator shafts 3 are mounted ele-` n vators 8 having cables 9 secured thereto and trained over pulleys or `sheaves 10k and a power cable 11 secured thereto and trainedy over a motor kdriven pulley 12, each cable having its two ends secured to two elevators so that when one goes up the other goes ldown and one elevator counterbalances the other. Each elevator has a plurality of inclined platforms 13 and when one of these platforms is in line with the ground surface 6 an automobile is permitted to roll onto the elevator until its front axle comes in contact with the arm 14 which rojects up through each of thejseveral plat norms; As a kresult of the fact that one yelevator goes up when the other 'goes down it is possible to successively load an automobile on the platformsof two elevatorsat the. same time.

When all the 'platforms vof the elevator have been loaded with automobiles (with the exception of the lowermost platform which is supported by flexible members in a c manner and for a purpose to be described later) it is desired to move the arms 14 so f that they permit the automobiles to roll by,`

force of gravity off the 4inclined platforms. This is accomplished by making the arm 14 part of a lever 15 which is pivotedto the bottom of the elevator platform so that a portion thereof projects out beyond the side of the elevator. n A spring 16 resiliently holds the arm 14 projectingup through the slot 17 in the platform. An elongatedstrap member 18k is slidably supported on the side'of the elevator and leach of the levers 15 are connected thereto as indicated by the numeral 19` (see Fig; 10) so that when the strap member is moved vertically the lever 15 isrpivoted and thereby lowers the armr14 to permit the automobile to pass over the same. To operate the strap member 18 a lever 20 is pivoted on the side of the elevator and one end of the lever is connected to thetop of the strap member while the opposite end is bent outwardly as at 21 so that it comes in contact with an obstruction 22 formed at the'v top of the elevator shaft, so that when the elevator comes to the top of its travel it pivots the lever 20y contact with an obstruction or with the bot-v tom of the elevator shaft so that the strap member is raised and thereby lowers the arms 14.

When the automobiles leave the platforms 13 they roll down the inclined floors 2 until the front axle of respective automobiles contact with respective arms 23 located adjacent the elevator shafts 4. The next automobile is held by the first automobile when its front bumper contacts with the rear bumper thereof, and to insure alignment which will prevent damage to the automobiles there are provided guide members on the inclined floors in the shape of channels 24 spaced apart a distance corre-` sponding to the spacing of the automobile wheels.

Elevators 25, mounted and constructed similar to the above described elevators 8, are mounted in the shafts 4 and are provided with inclined platforms 26, and these elevators just prior to the limit of their upward or downward movement come in contact with levers 27 and cause the same to be raised -or lowered respectivelyand thereby raise or lower the strap members 28 which are `slidably mounted at the sides of the floors. A strap member 28 is provided for kthe set of floors above the ground level and one is providedadjacent each elevator for the set of floors below the ground level and Figure 6 illustrates a fragment of the elevator with a projecting member 29 formed thereon tocontact with the lever 27 and raise `the strap member 28, the lever 27 being hinged as at 30 so that it may bend when the projecting member 29 passes in the opposite direction, suitable spring means being employed to hold the lever extended.

When the projection 29 contacts with the lever 27, the end of the latter is raised and the strap member is jerked upwardly until the projection raises to such a point that the end of the lever slips past the same and the strap member is again free to resume its normal position. Toggle members 31 are received in recesses 32 as illustrated in Figure 3, and when the strap member moves upwardly the members 31 force it outwardly to the position illustrated in Figure 4. A

)spring member 33 normally holds the strap memberin its inward position which also causes the lever 27 to resume its normal position.

The arms 23 which holds the automobiles from rolling onto the elevators 25 are formed on wheels 34 and six of snclr arms are illustrated, but it is understood that the invention is not confined to this number, they merely being shown by way of example.

automobiles.

the lever.

kthe automobile as it rolls Three holes 35 are formed in the wheel and a pin 36 which is connected to the strap member 28 is adapted to enter one of said holes in a manner to prevent rotation of said wheel and thereby prevent movement of the When the elevator is just about to the position the stra member is jerked upwardly and outwar ly in the manner above described, and in so Adoing the pin is jerked out of the hole 35 and the weight of down the incline rotates the wheel 34 so that when the strap member is again ready to resume its inward position the hole is out ofline with the pin 36 and the latter brushes the side of the wheel until the' next hole comes in line. The next hole 35 is forced in line with the pin 36 by the front axle of the succeeding automobile coming in contact with the next arm 23 and the next'automobile is held until the elevator goes down and is unloaded andv comes up again, the operation being the same on the floors located below the ground level.

When the automobiles roll onto the elevator platform 26 they are preventedfrom rolling oli' the opposite side thereof by upwardly projecting arms 37. Each arm 1s bent substantially at right angles tol f orm a portion 38 which is received in the gulde 39, the end of the portion 38 resting upon a shoulder formed on a'lever 40 as indicated at 4l, the lever 4'0 being received in a bracket 42 which permits pivotal movement of The arm 26 is held projecting upwardly through a slot 43 in the platform 26 by means of a spring 44 which is secured to the bottom of the platform 26. These platforms are to discharge the automobiles only at the exit 45 which is also incllnecl as yat 46 and provided with a tunnel 47 to perl mit persons to come to the exit to get their automobiles without crossing the automobiles leaving the building.

Adjacent the exit is formed a projection 48 against which the levers 40 strike when path of the platforms come in line with the exit while either moving up or down. When the elevator is moving upwardly the lever 40 1s tilted in the bracket 42 so that the opposite end moves4 upwardly. The shoulder contacting with the portion 38 of the arm at 41 causes the latter to rock in the guide member 39 and thereby lower the arm 26. When the elevator is moving downwardly the lever 40 is rocked so that the end thereof is lowered and a finger 49 which hooks over thearm 26 pulls the latter downwardly.

At the bottom of each elevator is mounted an inclined platform 50, being supported by suitable flexible members 51 such as chains. These platforms have no means for stopping the movement of the automobiles thereon for their purpose is fory loadingor unloading theiioor which is in line with the ground' surface. They are supported by exible abutments, s cent the exit and 1n th1s manner a garage or -matic may described it is to be understood that various structural changes may be made within the members in order that they may be co1- lapsed as illustrated'in Figure 1,'.inorder that the lowermost rigid platforms ymay come in line with the lowermost floor levels.

Meansk for preventing the automobiles from entering the entrance 5 or leaving the exit may be Provided and constructed similar to any o the above described sto s and or steps maybe provide adjaautobe constructed Vfor it is apparent from the foregoing that it is unnecessary that ,attendants should do anything more than place the automobiles in line with the entrance 5 and release their brakes so they ma coast down the inclines.

lthough a specific embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and automobile parker which is entirely 4aus scope of the appended claims without d'cv parting from the spiritof the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

WhatA I claim is 1. An automobile parker comprising a plurality of inclined floors disposed with approximately an equal number above and below the ground surface, elevators having a plurality of platforms for conveying auto-l mobiles to one end of all of said inclined Hoors and for discharging them onto all of said floors simultaneously so that they run A by force of gravity to the opposite ends of said floors, and elevators having a plurality of platforms for receiving one automobile from all ofsaid floors simultaneously and j for conveying them to the ground surface. l 2. An automobile clined floors, elevators having a plurality of platforms for receiving and conveying automobiles to the higher end of all of said floors, automatic'means for discharging all ofsaid automobiles simultaneously from said platorms onto said Hoors whereby they roll by force of gravity to the lower end of said ioors, and elevators for receiving an automobile from the lowermost ends of said Hoors.

3. An automobile parker comprising a plurality of inclined'loors disposed with approximately an equal number above and` below the ground surface, elevators having a parker comprising inmobiles to each of said floors simultaneously,

said elevators having a plurality of inclined platforms for receiving said automobiles, automatically releasable means for holding said automobtles on said platforms, elevators adjacent the lower end of said ioors andy i 5 having a plurality of platforms for receiving tors.

each of said inclined floors simultaneously; and automatically releasable means on each of said floors adjacentand operated by said last named elevaan automobile vfrom 5. Au automobile parker comprising a plurality of inclined floors disposed with approximately an equal numberrabove and below the ground surface,felevators operable in pairs for conveying automobiles to all of said floors simultaneously, said elevators having a plurality of inclined platforms for receiving said automobiles, automatically releasable means for holding said automobiles on said platforms, cent the lower end of said oors and operable in pairs for receiving an automobile f from all of said inclined floors simultaneously, and automatically releasable means on each of said floors adjacent and operated by said last named elevators. f

6. An automobile parker comprising inclined floors, elevators having a plurality `of platformsfor conveying automobiles to all of said floors, a plurality of elevators having i inclined platforms mounted adjacent the lower ends of said floors, automatically releasable means for holding said automobiles on each of said floors and for discharging one `at a time from each floor onto all of said inclined platforms simultaneously, and automatically releasablemeans for holding said j said floors and for discharging one at a time from each platform onto all of said inclined platforms simultaneously, `and automatically releasable means for holding said automobiles on said platforms and for discharging said automobiles from any platform in line with the ground surface.

8. An automobile parker comprising in-k clinediioors, elevators having a plurality of inclined platforms for carrying automobiles 4to all of said floors simultaneously, automatically releasable means for holding said automobiles on said inclined platforms and for permitting said automobiles to roll off all of said inclined platforms simultaneously 'low the vground surface` elevators adj awhen said platforms are in line with the proper floors, elevators adjacent the lower ends of said inclined floors having a plurality of inclined platforms automatically releasable means on said floors adjacent said last named elevators for holding said automobiles and for discharging one automobile onto each of the inclined platforms of said elevator simultaneously, and automatically releasable means on said inclined platforms f of said last named elevators adapted to permit the automobiles yto roll from the platforms in line with the ground surface.

9. An automobile parker comprising a plurality ofinclined floors disposed with approximately an equal number above and beelevators operable in pairs and having inclined platforms for carrying automobiles tosaid floors, automatically releasable means for holding said automobiles on said inclined platforms and for .permitting said automobiles to roll off all of saidinclined platforms simultaneously when said platforms are in line with the properffloors, elevators adjacent the lower ends of 4said inclined floors having inclined platforms, automatically releasably means on said floors adjacent said last named elevators for holding said automobiles and for discharging simultaneously one automobile onto each of the inclined platforms of said elevator, and automatically releasable means on said inclined platforms of said last named elevators adapted to permit the automobiles to roll from the platforms in line with the ground surface.

`10,I An automobile parker comprising inclinedlfioors, means for conveying automobiles to one end of each of said inclined floors and for discharging them on said floors simultaneously so that they run by force of gravity to the opposite ends of said Heers, and means for receiving an automobile from each of said floors simultaneously :find for conveying them to the ground surace.

y 1L An automobile parker comprising a plurality of inclined floors disposed with approximately an equal number above andl below the ground surface, means for conveying `automobiles to one end of each of said inclined floors and for simultaneouslydischarging them on said floors so that they `run by force of gravity to the opposite ends of said lioors, and means for simultaneously receiving an automobile from each of said floorsand for conveying them to the ground surface. Y

l2. An automobile parker comprising elevators arranged in pairs and suspended in a manner whereby one elevator counterbalances another and travels in an opposite direction inv relation thereto, inclined platforms on said eievators adapted for receiving automobiles, means for retaining the automobiles on said platforms, floors adjacent said elevators and inclined downwardly` therefrom, means actuated at the up er and lower extremity of movement of sai Aelevators for releasing said automobiles whereby they simultaneously roll from said platforms onto Said inclined floors and roll downwardly thereon, means at the lower end for retaining the automobiles on said floors, countorbalanced elevators having inclined platforms mounted at the lower ends of said floors, and means on said'elevators for actuating said retaining means on said floors at the extremity of upward or downward movement of said elevators to release an automobile from each of said floors and permit it to roll onto said platforms.

13. A11 automobile parker comprising elevators arranged in pairs and suspended in a manner whereby one elevator counterb-alances another and travels in an opposite directionin relation thereto, inclined platforms on said elevators adapted for receiving automobiles, means for retaining the automobiles on said platforms, floors adjacent Said Velevators and inclined downwardly therefrom, means actuated at the upper and lower extremity of movement of said elevators for releasing said automobiles whereby they simultaneously roll from said platforms onto said inclined fioors and roll downwardly thereon, means at-the lower end for retaining theautomobiles on said l'loors,'coun terbalanced elevators having inclined platforms mounted at the lower ends of said iioors, means on said elevators for actuating said retaining means on said floors at the extremity of upward or downward movement of said elevators to release an automobile from each of said floors and permit it to roll y onto said platforms, and retaining means on .f each of said platforms adapted to be actuated to release the automobile therefrom when a platform is opposite the ground iioor'.

manner whereby one elevator counterbalances another and travels in an opposite direction in relation thereto, inclined platforms on said elevators adapted for receiving automobiles, means for retaining the automobiles on said platforms, floors adjacent said elevators and inclined downwardly therefrom, means actuated at the upper and lower extremity of movement of said elevators for releasing said automobiles whereby they simultaneously roll from said platforms onto said inclined floors and roll downwardly thereon, means at the lower end for retaining the automobiles on said floors, counterbalanced elevators having inclined platforms mounted at the lower ends of said floors, means on said elevators for actuating said retaining means on said floors at the extremity 14; An automobile parker comprising ele- .vators arranged 1n pairs and suspended m a elevators to release an automobile from each of said oors and permit it to roll onto said platforms, and a collapsible platform suspended on the bottom of each elevator.

15. An automobile parker comprising elevators arranged in palrs and suspended in a manner whereby` one elevator counterbalauces another and travels in an opposite direction in relation thereto, inclined yplatforms on said elevators adapted for receiving automobiles, means for retaining the automobiles on said platforms, loors adjacent said elevators and inclined downwardly therefrom, means actuated at the upper and lower extremity of movement of said elevators for releasing said automobiles whereby they simultaneously roll from said platforms onto said inclined floors and roll downwardly thereon, means at the lower end for retaining the automobiles on said floors,

counterbalanced elevators having inclined platforms mounted at the lower ends of said floors, means on said elevators for actuating said retaining means on said floors at the extremity of upward or downward move-4 ment of said elevators to release an automobile from each of said floors and permit it to roll onto said platforms, retaining means on each of said platforms adapted to be actuated to release the automobile therefrom when a platform is opposite the ground floor, and a collapsible platform suspended on the bottom of each elevator.

16. An automobile parker comprising a plurality of inclined floors, elevator shafts arranged at each end of said floors and extending approximately an equal distance above and below the normal ground surface, elevators mounted in said shafts and having inclined platforms corresponding in number to the number of inclined floors and adapted to receive automobiles, means on l the elevator at the higher end of said inclined floors for holding said automobiles on said platforms and adapted to be actuated at the upper extremity of movement of said elevator for. releasing said automobiles whereby they roll by force of gravity onto said inclined floors and along said floors to the lowerend thereof, means adjacent the opposite elevator shaft for retaining said automobiles on said inclined floors, said last named means being adapted to be actuated by the elevator in said shaft when the latter is at its upper extremity of movement for releasing said automobiles whereby they roll by force of gravity onto the inclined platforms of said elevator, and means carried on each platform for retaining the automobiles thereon .and adapted to be independently actuated as each platform registers with the main Hoor in a manner to permit the automobiles to be dischargedA from 65 of upward or downward movement of'said said platforms. p

` 17. An automobile parker com rising a plurality of inclined floors arrange with an `ground surface, elevators havin `inclined platforms for receiving automo ilesr andr adapted to register with the `higher ends of l equal number above and belowthenormal all the ioors above or all the floors below the ground surface at one time, means for retaining the automobiles on said platforms and adapted to be automatically actuated at the upper and lower limits of movementr of said elevators to release all of said automobiles whereby they roll onto said inclined oors simultaneously, similar elevators arranged adjacent the lower ends of said floors, means for retaining said automobiles on said floors and adapted to be automati# i cally actuated at the upper orlower extrem-y ity of movement of said last named elevators for discharging' an automobile from each floor onto the adjacent elevator platform,

and means on each elevator platform adapted to be actuated independently as each plat# Y form registers with the main floor for automatically discharging the automobile from each platform. v 4

In testimony whereof aiix my signature.

HENARIE L. SCOTT,

GCM

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